Follow the Bird

100 Facts you did not know about Yu-kai Chou

Since my co-founder Jun Loayza wrote a post about the same topic, I figured I need to write one too just to be cool. I mean, people have a lot of different opinions about me, but few can deny that I’m a pretty unique/weird guy, so I’m sure I can beat Jun in being more interesting:

I can write different things with both hands at the same time

I have a scar with 26 stitches on my lips because it split in two when I ran into a metal trash can at the age of 3

My father has been a diplomat for Taiwan for over two decades

My mother has Master’s Degree in Chinese literature

I was born in Taiwan, but grew up in South Africa (6 years), Taiwan (7 years), Kansas (5 years), and California (7 years), and Vancouver Canada (1 year)

I started my high school chess club and I spent 4 hours a day learning so I could coach the team

My high school chess club won the State Championship in my Junior Year, and won the championship for the next 5 years. They also finished strong nationally.

I married an amazing women who is quite a bit older than me

I have records of gaining 15 lbs in 2 weeks as well as losing 15lbs in 2 weeks.

I can play the violin on the back of my head

I can beat many of my friends in chess without looking at the board (shout the moves)

When I was little, my dream job was to be a factory worker in a ramen factory

When I was little older, my dream job was to be either an actor/singer, or a professor at anything

I thought I was going to be a Biochemist during high school. I applied to schools with chem majors

In South Africa, my favorite pet dog is named Icy

Icy was smart enough to press the doorbell when she was locked out of the house on accident

Before I was 17, I was constantly working to be accepted by others. I was a pushover

When I was small, I felt that I had an obligation to be happy because people around me are sad. When I cry, I do it secretly and shamefully

A huge chunk of my education was derived from business podcasts

On my iPod Nano, there are no music but 4 gigs worth of podcasts

I graduated from UCLA with a degree in International Economics in 3 years while running my businesses to save my parents money

I became a devoted Christian when I was in 10th grade, after rejecting a church invite from a friend six weeks in a row.

I prefer living in a triple than a double. I would pay a bit more for a third roommate

I have never smoked cigarettes or done drugs

I can only bend down to touch my knees

In South Africa, my family received a certificate from the government, stating that my family is classified as “honorary whites”. Now you know why I am so well-respected.

When I was in 5th grade, I led a team to clean the restrooms used by kids with special needs. I can confidently say that I was the No 1 poop cleaning expert in my school (being a pushover in everything else)

I feel that a leader should take care of the grunt work while the team focuses on what they are best at

I can make a strange eagle cry noise that no one I have ever met can reproduce

The most impressive point is the first one, i know a person who can spell words from the last letter to the first without thinking, but nobody able to write with each hand two different things.
I can also find more than a few common points between us but you accomplished much more in much less time than me.
I wish you to keep living with no regrets and accomplish even more Yu-Kai, you may not as smart as you look but you do have a great energy.

Only 100? Why stop there? Why not make it 1001? It sounds like you have come a long way in your life, and still have the best of times still ahead of you. That is a great place to be. All the best of success on your amazing journey.